Where would you retire?

[dealtn]

Until its not gradual at all,

What does annual temperatures mean?

7.6 to 10.8 means nothing to me I'm afraid, other than one is higher than the other, and the trend.

[PinkDalek]

What is the 90 day rule please?

I’d assumed it was a reference to all those non residents desperate to return to Blighty for a lengthy sojourn and being concerned about their tax residence position but it may well be something I’d never heard of until now:

https://www.tiffydiamond.com/blog/90-day-sex-rule

[Snorvey]

I always thought the 90 day thing referred to the Visa free maximum stay in foreign countries. Presently, we don't need that and can stay in the EU for as long as we like. Post 31.12.20, we will become a 3rd country and be subject to the 90 day rule mentioned above (as we are with the likes of the US and quite a lot of other countries in the world)

I'm actually looking properties and climate stats (for fun!!) in Dorset. I don't think I've ever been there - maybe I've driven through, but nothing else. Well its wet outside.

[JohnB]

"Parts of world on brink of ‘sustained heat’ beyond human tolerance decades earlier than expected, researchers warn"

https://www.independent.co.uk/environme ... 06146.html

The Front Range in Colorado has an excellent climate, always sunny, never humid, but even 10 years ago the weeks of 100 degree temperatures were wearing, and my friends there say is becoming more like Arizona. The Boulder/Denver has great scenery, climate and culture, but I still wanted to come back to Britain for my friends, so retirement to me depends on my social networks,

[AF62]

What is the 90 day rule please?

Broadly, after the end of the year you will only be able to spend 90 days in any 180 days in the EU, unless you have residency in a particular country (but then that only applies to that country) or you have a long term visa.

Now obviously a lot can happen in the next 7 months, but if it doesn't, then those who fancy spending a long winter in a warmer EU country will be out of luck.

Even those who spend a shorter period may find themselves inconvenienced. Say you spend January to March in Spain, come back to the UK and then fancy a weekend in Paris in May. Well tough, you will have to wait until July until you are allowed back into the EU again.

[Lootman]

The Front Range in Colorado has an excellent climate, always sunny, never humid, but even 10 years ago the weeks of 100 degree temperatures were wearing, and my friends there say is becoming more like Arizona. The Boulder/Denver has great scenery, climate and culture, but I still wanted to come back to Britain for my friends, so retirement to me depends on my social networks,

The usual way the British handle extreme heat has been in use for centuries i.e. the hill stations in various colonies.

Same goes for the US where you can choose your elevation as well as anything else. I'm surprised that Denver is getting that bad given its "mile high" elevation.

Other "high" places in hot states are Taos and Santa Fe in New Mexico. Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona in Arizona. Lake Tahoe and the gold country of California.

Or just go further north. If Colorado really is getting too hot then how about Wyoming - another state with no state income tax? Or Montana or Idaho? And most places by the ocean are cooler as well.

San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

[Snorvey]

You'll also have to have more than 6 months left on your passport (I think it's currently 3 months for travelling to the EU)

As I understand it, several EU countries are planning long term residency options for UK citizens (Portugal, Malta, Cyprus etc). But as mentioned, only for that country.

[Lootman]

You'll also have to have more than 6 months left on your passport (I think it's currently 3 months for travelling to the EU)

As I understand it, several EU countries are planning long term residency options for UK citizens (Portugal, Malta, Cyprus etc). But as mentioned, only for that country.

Portugal also has favourable tax terms for new British expats. From memory you get a 10 year "holiday" from Portuguese taxes. Assuming you lose your UK tax liability you could park your assets in Gibraltar or Jersey and pay no tax anywhere, if I understand it correctly.

Malta and Cyprus too possibly but I don't know anything about them.

[Snorvey]

I'd like to live in the US, but it's just so damned difficult to get to live there long term.

There's always the option of the 90 day Visa and then just deciding to stay (i.e. illegally). If you have the assets to live off, don't suffer any medical mishaps and always drive under the speed limit you could probably live there for years. Decades even. In fact i read about an Irish guy, that had overstayed his Visa, set up a business (in the Boston area I think), got married and had 3 kids and they still deported him when the authorities caught up with him 20 odd years later.

[Lootman]

I'd like to live in the US, but it's just so damned difficult to get to live there long term.

There's always the option of the 90 day Visa and then just deciding to stay (i.e. illegally). If you have the assets to live off, don't suffer any medical mishaps and always drive under the speed limit you could probably live there for years. Decades even. In fact i read about an Irish guy, that had overstayed his Visa, set up a business (in the Boston area I think), got married and had 3 kids and they still deported him when the authorities caught up with him 20 odd years later.

I would not recommend illegal residence in the US. Although as an older white guy (I presume) you are highly unlikely to be stopped and checked by police, the downside of getting caught isn't just deportation. It is being held in a federal immigration facility whilst your case is determined.

I know a Russian guy in California who spent 18 months in a federal facility in Arizona pending resolution of his case. He was eventually allowed to stay because he could afford a good lawyer. But as a non-citizen you would not enjoy all the constitutional protections that US nationals have. It would be a miserable bus ride to a miserable place, and when you get there the other guests probably won't speak English.

Don't do it.

[Snorvey]

Don't do it.

I have no intention of - honest

....and what's with the 'older white guy'? I'm 52. Years of illegal overstaying / federal prison time left in me

I see Thailand are still doing there Elite Visa residency program - although you could do many of the things yourself (like visa renewals / medical etc), the Thais package it all up for a fee. The income / asset hurdles are pretty low too.

https://www.goldenvisas.com/thailand

I remember Berteee of old had a Thai missus (99% sure that's right) and he'd mentioned moving out there in time. Its probably far too hot and humid for my thick northern blood

[Dod101]

San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Dod

[GrahamPlatt]

What is the 90 day rule please?

It’s a bit of a minefield & can depend on interpretation, as the Schengen treaty itself is a little ambiguous.
However, the Americans have been dealing with it since inception, so here’s the best explanation I’ve come across
https://wanderlustcrew.com/can-i-stay-i ... n-90-days/

[Dod101]

Should have added, as for Thailand as long as you keep away from Bangkok, certainly pre Covid 19, the pollution in the city was appalling.

I have two friends who spend a lot of time there. One is a highly respectable Scottish guy with a Scottish wife there as well. Both play golf and enjoy the lifestyle. The other, a chap on his own, lives there as well but I suspect is more into the local 'culture'.

I am not sure that the unrelenting heat would suit me nowadays.

Dod

[AF62]

Portugal also has favourable tax terms for new British expats. From memory you get a 10 year "holiday" from Portuguese taxes. Assuming you lose your UK tax liability you could park your assets in Gibraltar or Jersey and pay no tax anywhere, if I understand it correctly.

Malta and Cyprus too possibly but I don't know anything about them.

Cyprus is handy if you receive a government pension (army, civil service, police, etc.) as it is one of the few countries where a resident can opt to not have the government pension taxed in the UK but taxed in Cyprus (at a far better rate), and of course being in the EU then a UK national could easily move there.

https://www.blevinsfranks.com/news/arti ... l-benefits

Government pensions are unlike other pensions and are always taxed in the UK unless there is an agreement in place, and the trouble is most require you to be both a national and resident for that to happen, and for those where just residency is sufficient then they are places you may not want to retire to (Albania, Tunisia, etc.) or it could be difficult to do so without a lot of jumping through hoops (Australia, Canada, etc.).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... l_2018.pdf

[GrahamPlatt]

The Portuguese 10 year tax break ended 31st March this year.

[Mike88]

San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Dod

Another freezing place. Mark Twain is attributed as saying "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

[Lootman]

San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Another freezing place. Mark Twain is attributed as saying "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

That's the summer fog. Some call it "natural air conditioning"

Regarding earthquake risk you have that anywhere in the west coast. In other parts of the US you get tornadoes or hurricanes. But these are very low probability events. San Francisco has had two significant earthquakes in the last 120 years - 1906 and 1989. It's not something that would bother me especially as it means the building codes are much more stringent.

California wildfires would bother me more, for the air pollution. They are getting worse.

[BrummieDave]

Haven't we already effectively done this thread before, albeit under the guise of "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21865

I think I weighed in with Wanaka (NZ), or Sonoma CA (USA), Sedona AZ (USA), Santa Barbara CA (USA). I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.

[Mike88]

Haven't we already effectively done this thread before, albeit under the guise of "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21865

I think I weighed in with Wanaka (NZ), or Sonoma CA (USA), Sedona AZ (USA), Santa Barbara CA (USA). I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.

I seem to be dismissing suggestions on here. But Santa Barbara? That place is rammed full of drunks, living rough on the streets, many of them ex servicemen. Some of these people are extremely aggressive openly hassling you for booze money. In fact much of the West coast suffers from the same problem. But Santa Barbara is the worst, rivalling places such as Santa Monica (LA) and Santiago. Not a nice place in my view.